Megan Thee Stallion took the stand in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday in an assault trial against Tory Lanez, who she claimed offered her “a million dollars” to keep quiet about him shooting her during a roadside assault in July 2020, according to areport by Rolling Stone.
The Houston-born rapper, whose real name is Megan Pete, appeared emotional when she first took the stand. “I just don’t feel good… I can’t believe I have to come in here and do this,” she responded after Deputy District Attorney Kathy Taasked if she was nervous.
Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, has been charged with assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm and negligent discharge of a gun for shooting Pete in the feet after a party at Kylie Jenner’s home in the Hollywood Hills. If convicted as charged, he faces more than 22 years in prison and deportation, as he’s a Canadian citizen. Peterson was in the courtroom on Tuesday and appeared to be taking notes as Pete took the stand.
On Tuesday, Pete told the courtroom that Peterson became upset with her once she had asked him to leave the party, leading to an argument breaking out on the drive home. According to authorities, Peterson, his bodyguard and Kelsey Harris, a former friend of Pete’s, and Pete herself were all in an SUV at the time of the assault.
According to Pete, Peterson turned around and told her she needed “to stop lying” to Harris about their relationship. She further explained the nature of her and Peterson’s friendship — making note that they had bonded over the shared loss of their mothers — and confirming that they had previously been engaged in a sexual relationship, according to Pete.
“Because I knew Kelsey had a crush on Tory, I didn’t want to hurt her feelings,” Pete testified. “I didn’t want her to know that I had dealt with him in any kind of way. So he knew I didn’t want her to know that. I didn’t want anybody to know… Now Kelsey got an attitude because he was implying we were hiding something from her.”
She testified that she asked to be let out of the car twice. The first time, she got out of the vehicle but got back inside because “I’m literally at the peak of being so famous right now, and I’m in a thong (bikini), and I look crazy, and if anybody sees me walking down the street like this, it’s going to be bad for me,” she said.
Back inside the car, Pete said, Peterson and Harris were screaming at each other at the “top of their lungs,” and as they approached Pete’s house, she asked to get out of the car once again. Pete said the confrontation became even more hostile once she and Peterson began insulting one another’s musical careers.
“Tory was basically telling me I wasn’t shit, and I said, ‘Actually, you ain’t shit. This is where you at in your career. This is where you at with your music.’ And I feel like that really rubbed him the wrong way. He kept yelling and cursing,” she testified.
As Pete began walking away, Peterson began allegedly shooting what ended up being five shots at her feet while yelling “dance, bitch!”
“I don’t have to turn all the way around. I didn’t have to use my feet to turn around,” she testified, demonstrating how she turned her head without needing to turn her entire body. “I literally turned like this, and I could see him with the gun.” Because Pete’s main injury was located in the back of her left foot, the defense is expected to say she was not facing the shooter, so her claim she saw Peterson shoot would be deemed unreliable.
“I’m in shock. I’m scared. I hear the gun going off and I can’t believe he’s shooting at me,” Pete said. According to her testimony, the group returned to the vehicle once again and as Pete attempted to compress her wound with make-shift towels, she claims Peterson began “apologizing,” and pleaded with her to not tell authorities.
“He’s saying, ‘Please don’t say anything. I’ll give y’all a million dollars. I can’t go to jail. I already got caught with a gun before,’” she said. (Peterson’s attorney, George Mgdesyan, has said that his client was never on probation.)
Pete proceeded to tell police that she had stepped on glass, which she testified was because “this was the height of police brutality and George Floyd, and if I said this man just shot me, I didn’t know if they might shoot first and ask questions later.”
“In the Black community, in my community, it’s not really acceptable to be cooperating with police officers,” she added.
In the weeks following the alleged assault, Pete posted a video to Instagram in which she publicly accused Peterson of shooting her. For his part, Peterson has denied all responsibility and has alluded to the idea that Pete and her team have “framed” him for the assault in lyrics.
Prosecutors have also presented the jury with a phone call from Peterson in which he can be heard apologizing for his behavior on the night of the shooting, admitting he was drunk and expressing concern Pete would “never, ever” speak to him again. Notably, Peterson does not specifically admit to firing a gun.
During opening statements on Monday, prosecutors confirmed that Harris is expected to corroborate Pete’s testimony, including a text message she sent shortly after the attack which read “Tory shot Meg,” when she’s called to the stand later this week.
Mgdesyan told the jury that this was all sparked by Pete’s “jealousy” over Peterson and suggested the argument in the car was between a highly intoxicated Pete and Harris. The attorney has also repeatedly highlighted that his client’s DNA was not found on the weapon used in the attack — which many speculate will be used to place the blame on Harris. He further explained that LAPD lead investigator Det. Ryan Stogner failed the case when he did not conduct a DNA test for Harris’ DNA or fingerprints on the gun.
Additonally, Mgdesyan says Kris Jenner’s boyfriend, Corey Gamble, was a witness to some of the party and would be called to testify. The trial is expected to last through early next week, and it remains unclear if Peterson will be taking the stand.
